‘RunIt' events under fire after tragedy highlights risks
Participants in a Runit event held in West Auckland. Photo / Mike Scott; Artist / Paul Slater
THREE KEY FACTS
On the Friday nights of my preteen years, you would find me in front of the TV watching wrestling. Repeating the line, 'don't try this at home' as I leapt from the couch, dropping my best impression of a People's Elbow on to my unsuspecting little brother.
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RNZ News
19-06-2025
- RNZ News
Run It Straight organisers criticised by coroner
Run It organisers have come under criticism from a coroner who said it should not be considered a sport. Bruce Hesketh has slated the competition as a perilous activity that makes no attempt to mitigate head injury. Sports reporter Jonty Dine spoke to Lisa Owen. To embed this content on your own webpage, cut and paste the following: See terms of use.
Otago Daily Times
19-06-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Coroner takes aim at Runit after fatal league head injury
A Coroner has taken aim at Runit competitions saying they should not be recognised as an official sport. Coroner Bruce Hesketh slated the competition as having "all the hallmarks of perilous activity that makes no attempt to mitigate head injury". He made the comments in a finding into the death of 32-year-old Pāpāmoa man Tere Livingstone, who died from a severe head injury sustained in a tackle during a game of rugby league in June 2023. Livingstone suffered a concussion in an earlier, pre-season game on May 27 which he didn't tell anyone in the team about. However, two days after he was hit in the jaw by an opposing player's forearm, he began suffering a severe headache in the back of his head, and nausea. The young dad went to his GP who advised him not to play contact sport for three to four weeks and that he should discuss the situation with his team's physiotherapist. She also advised him to return immediately if his symptoms, which by the time of the appointment had largely reduced, returned and she would refer him for a CT scan. Livingstone played down the doctor's concern with his partner however he did not play league the next weekend due to being out of town for a family event. Coroner Hesketh said Livingstone did not appreciate the seriousness of his condition because on June 6 he wanted to go to training but his partner convinced him to stay home and rest. The following weekend, on June 10, Livingstone played another game in a pre-season tournament in Tauranga. In the first half he was tackled, landing on his back and his head hit the ground in a whiplash movement. He went off the field and knelt down on one knee, saying he was fine but within seconds he fell forward and suffered a seizure. An off-duty nurse came to his aid and an ambulance was called. Livingstone was transferred to Tauranga Hospital where he was diagnosed with swelling and a brain bleed. He was flown from there to Waikato Hospital in Hamilton for nuerosurgery but his condition deteriorated and after five days he was declared brain dead. His life support was switched off after organ donation. Coroner Hesketh said although the family objected to a post-mortem, he was satisfied after receiving expert advice, that Livingstone developed a rare condition known as second impact syndrome (SIS), when a person suffered a second head injury before fully recovering from a previous one. "The athlete will rapidly develop altered mental status and a loss of consciousness within seconds to minutes of the second hit, resulting in catastrophic neurological injury," the Coroner wrote. "SIS is described as acute brain swelling and bleeding that occurs when a second concussion is sustained before the first one has healed properly. This can be difficult to treat and can be fatal." In 2021 there had only been 45 cases of SIS recorded - all boys and men between the ages of 10 and 29 with the period between the first and second concussions ranging from one hour to five weeks. Eleven of the injured recovered and 19 died. Coroner Hesketh said if Livingstone had told his coach, team manager or referee about the first head injury, he would have been stood down for the mandatory 21 days required in sports. "Had that occurred and had he followed the graduated recovery and return stages set out on the NZRL (New Zealand Rugby League) website I am satisfied from the literature I have read and the advice I have received, he would not have experienced second impact syndrome." He said Livingstone's death was preventable. No management of head injuries in Runit Coroner Hesketh was critical of Runit competitions, saying they should not be recognised as an official sport. "As a matter of public interest I record my concern about a developing contact competition in New Zealand called 'Runit'. "There appears to be no governing body, the activity is not regulated, and has no written publicly accessible rules of participation. "Neither is there any information to players around the signs and dangers of concussion or concussion management." He noted the competition was said to be built around the actions seen in rugby union, league, the NFL (American National Football League) and the AFL (Australian Football League). "However, those sports have invested heavily in concussion prevention, identity, and management. The same cannot be said for this latest trending competition. "The principle of operation in Runit requires two opposing individuals, one being the ball carrier and the other the tackler. "The two stand at opposite ends of a 20m by 4m field and run full speed at each other and colliding to try and knock each other over." Hesketh said "understandably", medical specialists and organisations assisting those in hospital or in the community recovering from head trauma had expressed concern about the dangers these competitions gave rise to traumatic brain injury and/or chronic traumatic encephalopathy - a brain disorder caused by repeated head injuries. "Runit competitions are attempting to set up in New Zealand as a legitimate sport." However, he said in the sports Runit copied, the object was to avoid being tackled, or to be tackled in a way that the player carrying the ball could protect themselves by side-stepping or turning into the tackler to lessen the blow. There were also strict rules around high tackles. "Furthermore, all the applicable team sporting bodies involved have invested heavily in concussion awareness, prevention, identity, and management." He recommended athletes take head injuries seriously. "This unfortunate and sad case emphasises the need for those who play approved team contact sports to adhere to the concussion guidelines. "Both the NZRL and NZRU websites have significant information around concussion prevention, identification, and management. Significantly more can be found on the ACC website." Symptoms of concussion included: Loss of consciousness or delayed responsiveness Double or blurred vision Neck pain Nausea and vomiting Balance problems or dizziness Sensitivity to noise Concentration or memory problems Seizure or convulsion Unusual behaviour changes
RNZ News
17-06-2025
- RNZ News
'RunIt' putting clothes on kids and food in fridge, winner says
Champ Betham says the public are overlooking the opportunities created through the new collision craze known as 'RunIt'. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport While they have been derided by many sectors of the public as dangerous, for one RunIt competitor, the phenomenon is putting clothes on the backs of his young children. Champ Betham was the winner in the second night of trials in Auckland, taking home $20,000 and earning a spot on the plane to Dubai for the inaugural event in the Middle East. The Christchurch man said the win has 'helped massively' with financial burdens. "We got to pay off some debts and stock up the fridges and the cupboards, food for our little ones, especially with the economy and stuff like that here in New Zealand. Nothing's cheap these days." He said with the coldest time of the year around the corner, he was blessed to have some relief for his whānau. "We got to stock up on winter clothing and stuff for our babies and just finally having a full fridge. It was just awesome, not having to stress about it for a wee while." Public backlash toward 'run it straight' competitions has been fierce, many lamenting its risk of serious brain injury . This was exacerbated following the tragic death of a teenager imitating the game in Palmerston North. Those to have spoken out against the practice include doctors , [athletes and both New Zealand Rugby and Rugby League. However, Betham said it was the opportunities given to men like himself which were overlooked. "I think that's what the public don't really see is that it's hard these days working long shifts and you still paycheque doesn't really cut it. So this is a massive blessing to a whole heap of us to pretty much try and win 20K or whatever for a couple hours work." Winner of RunIt Trials 2 Champ Betham. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport He said without RunIt, he likely would never get the chance to travel to the United Arab Emirates. "I'm feeling blessed. They're paying for my flights and accommodation and all of that. I think RunIt has opened up a couple of doors for a lot of us, especially Pasifika people." While Pasifika rugby icons Tana Umaga and Ardie Savea have empathised with competitors, saying they understood it was a chance to get ahead in life, executive members of Sports Medicine New Zealand (SMNZ) want the events banned. Dr Stephen Kara, national chair of SMNZ, said the biomechanics of RunIt collisions are comparable to severe car crashes. "When two 105kg participants (average body mass of rugby players) sprint towards each other, the impact force can exceed 16,800 Newtons. This force is over three times that of a professional boxer's punch and more than 1.5 times the force of falling from two meters." While still working a 9-5 job, Betham could envision the sport growing to the point where he was a full-time professional. "I can definitely seeing it elevated into that kind of area, but baby steps." In order to enter the Auckland trials Betham shed down from 143kg to 127kg, to meet the 130kg limit. With the limit for Dubai dropping by a further five kg, Betham has been focused on keeping his weight down ahead of the final showdown. "Just trying to keep it level and just trying to prep the shoulders and the whole upper body for the contact. Keep the shoulders conditioned, you don't want to go on cold turkey." Auckland was originally scheduled to host the RunIt finals in this month, however, their previous hosts, Trusts Arena Stadium opted not to follow through on plans to stage a third event. "Safety of all participants at our venue is paramount and this activity presented safety considerations that we could not overlook," Trusts Arena's general manager of community engagement," a spokesperson for the stadium, told the New Zealand Herald. Betham said there was undoubtedly a psychological aspect to running full speed at another hulking human. "I wouldn't call it fear, it's just sort of like a footy game before you run out into the field. You got a little bit of jitters, but once you make that first contact, everything goes away. So I wouldn't really call it fear, I think it's just a bit of nerves." Betham was bracing for some fierce competition in Dubai. "It's going to be a tough, but I'm backing myself to hopefully come away with a big win." Betham said he is blessed to have some relief for his whānau through his RunIt victory. Photo: Andrew Cornaga / Photosport
